1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric power generation amount estimation device, an electric power generation amount estimation system, an electric power generation amount estimation method and a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of renewable energy is being re-evaluated as a countermeasure against global warming, and distributed electric power generation using natural energies (for example, solar photovoltaic power generation, wind power generation, fuel cells, or biomass electric power generation) is being promoted. In order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, particularly in Japan, solar photovoltaic power generation is intended to be widely used. For this reason, concrete measures and policies have been adopted. More specifically, the government provides grant money when a solar power generation device (for example, a solar panel including a solar cell) is installed in each household, or an electric power company buys surplus electric power. It is expected that solar panels will be installed in many households from now on.
However, one of the characteristics of electric power is that electric power cannot be stored. Therefore, buying surplus electric power from each household is a burden for the electric power company, and an electric power supply system becomes unstable. Accordingly, if solar panels are more widely used and a significant amount of surplus electric power is generated, it is expected that a balance between supply and demand of electric power may be disrupted and it may become difficult for the electric power company to buy surplus electric power. In addition, in solar photovoltaic power generation, the amount of generated electric power varies depending on the weather and installation conditions of each solar panel. Therefore, when electric power is bought from each household, the amount of generated electric power varies significantly. As a result, it is expected that a situation that cannot be handled by a transformer station may occur.
In order to effectively use surplus electric power generated by a solar panel, the following system can be used. A battery (a home battery) is prepared in each household and the surplus electric power generated by the solar panel is stored in the home battery. Then, the electric power stored in the home battery is used during a period of time in which the solar panel cannot generate electric power, such as during night hours, during cloudy weather etc. Further, a variety of methods have been devised. For example, the amount of electric power supplied from the electric power company is limited in accordance with a storage amount of the battery prepared in each household. As another example, electric power is supplied from the electric power company and is stored in the battery during the night time when the price is low, and the electric power stored in the battery is used during the daytime when the price is high. In addition, because the battery can store DC electric power without conversion, DC/AC conversion and AC/DC conversion that are performed when electric power is transmitted become unnecessary, thus achieving a reduction of loss due to conversion.